Are you an avid reader looking for your next "fix"? Can't bear to be without some form of reading material in your spare time? Welcome to my world! Whether you are seeking a new book to "feed your need", or you are an author seeking an unbiased point of view on your own recent masterpiece, this is the place to be. With life as with books, you never know where the next step might take you...

QUICK NOTE...Update: 9/7/19

First of all, my heart goes out to all those affected by the recent heinous weather outbreaks, most recently being Hurricane Dorian. We were right in the path of Hurricane Michael (like so many others), and we're still trying to get back in our home. Things are very slow to progress towards normalcy...and every day presents a new headache/nightmare to deal with. Hopefully by month's end, we'll be back in there to start the next leg of recovery. Thanks for stopping by and sharing my bookish adventures. It helps remind me I'm not alone in this crazy journey called life.

Monday, April 30, 2012

BLOG TOUR: The Angel Chronicles: Until Next Time by Amy Lignor

Hello there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers….the place to be when you’re feeling…bookish.Here’s hoping everyone’s weekend was as exciting or non as you wanted it to be and you managed to get some good reading in along the way….I know I did and today’s post is just one of them.But first, a brief reminder….we’ve got two contests going on right now starring two YA titles you don’t want to miss; one ends tonight (with some EXTRA fab prizes) and the other ends in a few days so be sure to check out the right hand side bar for all the details before you leave!Now, speaking of Young Adult books…

Today’s post is all about a GREAT NEW YOUNG ADULT SERIES from the GREAT folks at Tribute Books!(Hi Nicole! ~waves~) This was the ebook title to launch their Young Adult publishing branch so let’s give a great big round of applause for their contributions to the literary world. ~adds own clapping to the mix of wild enthusiasm~Now, today’s title is book one of a new series featuring a “supernatural” presence being used a bit more recently, but in a way I haven’t encountered before…which by the way, works, OH-SO-WELL!Without further adieu, may I present you courtesy of Tribute Books with the final stop of the blog tour for today’s book of choice…

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

Oh woe is me…where to even begin with this one!I just finished it last night and a rush of excitement (and that’s a BIG deal with ebooks for me no matter the story!).There’s no way you can make it anywhere near the end and put it down before finishing….it’s just THAT good!When you do finish?All you can do is turn all Oliver Twist and say “Please sir/ma’am, may I have some MORE?”.

The world created here is not so far fetched; in fact it’s our own and the His realm.That’s right, God, the angels, saints and more play a starring role in this series but before you go writing it off as simply a Christian Fiction addition you want no part in (because I know some of you may be thinking that….and I understand!It’s not generally my genre either…), this is first and foremost a YA book; it just happens to have these members of religious sects included in the cast, which makes sense since we are dealing with angels and souls.Trust me when I say though, this is not your typical representation.Don’t believe me?

Were you ever taught that Heaven had a library where young angels and warriors studied up on the lives of those on Earth? Have you ever envisioned Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John playing a card game for candy bars dressed as pirates?How about a room full of new souls taking their first flight on their newly granted wings?Or better still, St Francis transforming into any numbers of animals…including a talking lizard?Like I said, totally original in my book and I must say, a lot of fun.It made that aspect of the whole equation totally accessible in my eyes.You weren’t presented with merely a black and white situation of either being a believer or not to enjoy the book’s content but rather a largely gray area that allowed your imagination to take flight while your beliefs were welcome to stick around.Now on to the characters….

While the Heavenly crew was phenomenal, our leading ladies and men were a treasure to behold. Let’s start with our original two, shall we?Emily and Matt…the given names of our two souls created to help glean information about the people of Earth and why they seem to keep going astray.It seems that the concept of ‘loneliness’ is perplexing not only to us humans, but to the angels as well!To get that information, an angel (Emily) and warrior (Matt), the light and dark sides of one perfect combination (as in they were made for each other, a bond that will come into play many times before this book and series are through), were created to send down to Earth when the time was right, righting a few wrongs while gathering the info sought.That time…is now (or should I say that FIRST time?).

Sent down to Earth, they become Elizabeth (aka Liz) and Daniel…but their Heavenly thoughts, memories, and training are gone with the wind.All are locked up deep inside their souls, inaccessible while in their earthbound shells until a later more pertinent time much to their frustration.You see, they aren’t being born into the world as most souls are, they are stepping into lives already in progress that ended too soon just as the departing soul is stepping out.The people they inhabit had bigger things to accomplish in their young lives than time and circumstance allowed, so for all intents and purpose, they are being given another chance to finish what was started.Everything is new while at the same time familiar creating a confusing mix when the two meet…add to that the multiple times their souls leave their bodies for a Heavenly meeting where they again can’t access their human thoughts fully (in the beginning at least….dun dun dunnnnn) and yeah, is there any doubt the frustration that even angels would feel in this state?Not in my mind….

The lives they lead are rich and full; even though short in length (again).We get to see quite a bit of Liz’s side of things but very little of Daniel’s….a fact I wish we could remedy because his time seems like it would have a whole other feeling to it (perhaps an idea for a counter series?).We meet Faith, her sister by chance (an orphaned girl around her own age), who runs the pub Liz inherited when her family died.She’s s headstrong gal, full of vinegar (as I’ve heard people say before) and a perfect balance to Liz’s quieter, more level headed demeanor.Their leading men… a matched set as well.Enter Charles and Jason….

Ah yes…first questions first; how can that be all the leading men when I’ve already mentioned her “other half”, Daniel aka Matt?Well, you see there’s this little thing called free will and matters of the heart and….it’s a lot of Earth bound nonsense at first, but it makes an impact that will change the way things unfold later on in this story and from the sound of it, those yet to come.Anyway, back to the leading men…. appearing as strangers in the night but become much more as time marches forward.Charles is an equal match for Faith though not by station in life as we discover later on, but certainly where it REALLY matters.He’s a loud and robust gentleman whose traveling days may seem curiously charming, but he’s running from a past that is still hot on his heels.Just what are his secrets?Oh but telling you would ruin the surprise!Suffice it to say that the town of Dublin from which they hail is not waiting for their return with open arms…either of them….

Jason is a part of whatever went down leading up to their great escape as well, though you wouldn’t guess it at first.He comes off as much quieter and gentile despite his inability to focus on anything else when Beth (Elizabeth, just the name he prefers to call her) is involved.His is smitten with her as if their souls were intended for each other alone …though she knows as well as we differently…or do we?As I said before, matters of the heart are complicated, even newly “owned” ones.Nobody said this trip to Earth was going to be easy.Back to the man at hand, he has a past as well, just as tangled and as many shades of dark as Charles’ which will be revealed with time but my first impressions of the young man still hold true.I believe the term ‘diamond in the rough’ would apply well here….and may catch on one day (hehe, sorry…inside joke if you’ve read the book ^_^)…but see what you make of him on your own as you’ll have a decision to make later on…

Last but not least, we can't end this post without a brief look at the cover art. Feel free to scroll back to the top to take a gander. Nice, right? Though slightly dark and foreboding, I think it plays well for the story within. The cracks and lines to me represent the hardships this new soul goes through, almost like characters lines. The heart...well obviously a representation of the soul within but I find it interesting that it is displayed outwardly almost like a badge of courage or something. Again, if I was Pooh Bear and sitting in my thinking spot I might say that it perhaps is meant to show how she is of two hearts...the one within and the one she's in. Confusing? Slightly....but it makes more sense once you read it (well, in my mind anyway... ^_^)

To sum things up, it’s a book that will make you take a step back and see the world with new eyes.Something to rekindle the innocence in your soul and perhaps realize how fragile our world is at times and why it needs us, all of us as its protectors; not simply for the environment but of each other as well.It reminds us that we are all here for a reason and despite how difficult the road might be at times, there is someone backing us up all the way.The idea of our “other half” is nothing new, but the knowledge that that missing piece will eventually be found is comforting even if delivered in a fictional story.ALL of this PLUS an amazing story filled with adventure, mystery, romance, and a promise of more to come….it scores high in my book and I think it will in yours too!Book two is already on my wish list and if I know my readers, you may want to start clearing a spot on your own.

Recommended read for teen readers and beyond due to content; it’s not vulgar or crass but the topics dealt with a time or two and the instances sensual in nature procure it from the “child” category in my mind.This ebook is available now from Tribute Books and should you be inclined to race off and purchase a copy of your own to devour (and you WILL devour it), here are a few fine online retailer options to get you started in your quest…

Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.

Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.

She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.

Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.

Thirsty for more?No worries….I don’t blame you.Be sure to check out the Twitter Party going on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 8 p.m. Eastern.According to the book website, just follow the hashtag #UntilNextTime as author Amy Lignor answers your questions for 90 minutes!They’ll also be offering at least (1) $50 cash prize to the person who has a receipt confirming an ebook purchase of Until Next Time and tweets at least once during the Twitter Party PLUS they’ll be giving away a variety of ebooks and print books throughout the event.To RSVP, click here.

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Special thanks to Nicole at Tribute Books for the ebook for review as well as the chance to bring to host this final leg of the tour.(THANKS!)For more information on this blog tour, click here…and to find out more about upcoming tours as well as how you can host a stop all your own, check out their Facebook page.Tribute Books can also be found online at their official website, Facebook page, and of course, on Twitter!

Once you’ve finished reading this first installment, you have a choice to make….Team Matt or Team Jason.It’s a HARD decision!No really…this is not Edward versus Jacob deal…it’s HARDER.In the end, I made my choice. Based on everything he's been through, seen, and done so far and the person he's turned out to be despite it all....I chose….

WOW...I have no idea what to say - that's why I've been going over and over this in my mind. Your review was so humbling and so stunning and I want to thank you and your readers from the bottom of my heart! It is because of people lke you out there that a party is being thrown for Until Next Time on May 8th on Twitter. I hope you all can come. and...really...for a girl who can never stop typing, I have no words. Thank you for loving this book as much as I do.